2015 AMC 12A Problem 24

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24.

Rational numbers aa and bb are chosen at random among all rational numbers in the interval [0,2)[0, 2) that can be written as fractions nd\dfrac{n}{d} where nn and dd are integers with 1d5.1 \le d \le 5. What is the probability that (cos(aπ)+isin(bπ))4(\cos(a\pi) + i\sin(b\pi))^4 is a real number?

350\dfrac{3}{50}

425\dfrac{4}{25}

41200\dfrac{41}{200}

625\dfrac{6}{25}

1350\dfrac{13}{50}

Answer: D
Concepts:complex numberDe Moivre’s Theorembasic counting
Difficulty rating: 2520
Solution:

There are 2020 possible values for each of aa and b.b. In reduced form, denominators 1,2,3,4,51,2,3,4,5 contribute respectively 2,2,4,4,82,2,4,4,8 values in [0,2),[0,2), for a total of 20.20.

Writing x=cos(aπ)x = \cos(a\pi) and y=sin(bπ),y = \sin(b\pi), the fourth power (x+iy)4(x + iy)^4 is real if and only if x=0,x = 0, y=0,y = 0, or x=±y.x = \pm y.

The case x=0x = 0 means a{12,32},a \in \left\{\dfrac12, \dfrac32\right\}, giving 220=402\cdot 20 = 40 pairs; the case y=0y = 0 means b{0,1},b \in \{0, 1\}, giving another 4040 pairs, of which 44 were already counted.

For the remaining condition cos(aπ)=±sin(bπ),\cos(a\pi) = \pm\sin(b\pi), with neither side zero, the allowed values of bb are 14,\dfrac14, 12,\dfrac12, 34,\dfrac34, 54,\dfrac54, 32,\dfrac32, and 74.\dfrac74. The corresponding numbers of allowed values of aa are respectively 4,2,4,4,2,4.4,2,4,4,2,4. For example, when b=14,b = \dfrac14, the values are a=14,a = \dfrac14, 34,\dfrac34, 54,\dfrac54, and 74;\dfrac74; the other rows follow from the same quarter-turn identities. Hence this condition contributes 4+2+4+4+2+4=204+2+4+4+2+4=20 more pairs.

In all there are 40+404+20=9640 + 40 - 4 + 20 = 96 valid pairs out of 400,400, so the probability is 96400=625.\dfrac{96}{400} = \dfrac{6}{25}.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

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